


Death Warmed Over

by Anichibi



Category: Persona 3
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, October Spoilers, Selectively Mute Arisato Minato, What's better than this just dudes being bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 08:05:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19247170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anichibi/pseuds/Anichibi





	Death Warmed Over

Minato woke up on October 5th feeling like death had warmed over. He staggered to the sink in his room and simply stared at his own reflection in the mirror above it. His hair was an absolute mess, strands sticking up at odd angles and large knots making it hard to run his hand through the locks. His eyes were dark and lacking the shine they always had, and dark circles were masked by angry red and puffy skin. He couldn't stop crying when they had gotten back. Minato replayed the previous night's events in his mind and his fist tightened at his side. The Shadows they had to fight, the anxious feeling when they were looking for Shinjiro and Ken, the gunshot, the blood...

Minato's fist shook at his side as he stared at himself in the mirror, glaring daggers at the red skin under his eyes and the absolute mess of a person that stared back at him. All at once, the emotions hit him all over again. He raised his fist and drove it into the mirror as he yelled, shattering it to pieces. His hand stayed there as he hunched over the sink, gasping as tears fell from his eyes. He could feel blood running down his hand, but he didn't care. He gasped and sobbed until there was nothing left in him. He slowly fell to the floor, leaning against the wall as he stared into nothing. He just stared and stared until there was a knock on the door.

"Minato? You almost ready?" Akihiko's voice came in through the door. All of Minato's responses died in his throat. "Minato? I'm coming in, okay?" The door opened, and Minato stared at Akihiko as he entered, already dressed for school. Akihiko saw Minato next to the sink and was at his side in a heartbeat. "Hey, is everything alright?" Minato's throat was tight. He couldn't speak. Akihiko saw the pieces of the broken mirror and noticed the cut one of the shards had made on Minato's hand.

"Hey, let me see your hand." Minato silently complied. He held out his bleeding, shaking hand for Akihiko to examine. He stared at it for a few seconds before standing up. "You have a first-aid kit in here, right?" Minato nodded mutely before pointing to the cabinet under the TV. Akihiko fetched the kit and a few moments later, Minato's hand was bandaged up. Minato stared at the wrappings on his hand with the same empty eyes he'd had all morning.

"Did you want to stay home today? You look awful, and I'm guessing you didn't get much sleep last night." Minato again nodded without a sound. Akihiko helped him up and walked with him to his bed across the room. "I don't suppose you're gonna actually talk to me, are you?" Akihiko asked as he sat in the desk chair by the desk, rolling it over to the bed. Minato shook his head as he looked down. He bit his lip, feeling his eyes sting again. Why now, of all times, did he have to go mute?

Akihiko was quick to say something when he saw Minato's expression twist in frustration at himself. "Hey, I'm not saying you have to talk to me. I know how you get sometimes. It's fine." Minato stared at the senior with wide eyes. After a few seconds, his mouth slowly morphed into a smile, a soft one that barely reached his eyes, but it was there.

"You mind if I stay here with you?" Akihiko asked. Minato glared slightly at him in hopes to get his message across. "Let me guess, Mitsuru would be mad enough with just you skipping?" Minato nodded, confirming Akihiko's guess to be right. "Well, considering the circumstances..." Akihiko did his best to keep his pained expression off his face as his voice trailed off. Minato's hand slipped into Akihiko's on his lap. The senior looked up in surprise for a brief moment before his gaze fell to somewhere on the floor.

"So, uh, is it still a no?" Akihiko asked after a few seconds, looking just slightly disappointed. Minato smiled and shook his head before pulling the other into a hug. Akihiko froze for a minute before he hugged back. "Thanks, Minato." Akihiko buried his face in Minato's shoulder as he spoke. Minato's head rested against Akihiko's as he hummed in response. Minato's throat no longer felt tight. His hand rested on Akihiko's back and pulled him just a bit closer.

"You're welcome, Aki."


End file.
